The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
To meet many modern day performance requirements, airborne mobile platforms, for example with jet powered military aircraft, often have various and highly integrated platform configurations. These configurations can include internal weapons bays, which are typically located on the belly of the fuselage of the aircraft. When a weapon stored within the weapons bay is to be released from the aircraft, typically one hingedly supported door, or a pair of hingedly supported bay doors, are opened and then the weapon is released. However, due to the high speeds at which many jet aircraft are operating at when weapons are released from the weapons bay, the shear layer air flow over the weapons bay can produce high acoustic levels and challenges in releasing weapons when the bay doors are opened. In effect, there occurs a time-dependent separation of the shear layer at the leading edge of the weapons bay that moves in to the bay, thus producing high acoustic noise and loading. Complicating this is that existing weapons are typically qualified to maximum conditions that may not be sufficient for deployment from an internal weapons bay of an aircraft. Modification or re-qualification of the weapons is typically not an option.
Traditionally, to passively counter the high acoustic levels experienced inside the weapons bay and to improve weapon separation characteristics, a flow spoiler is located on the fuselage of the aircraft externally of, and upstream of, the weapons bay. The spoiler operates to “deflect” the approaching air flow, plus “spoil” and reduce the intensity of the bay oscillating pressure waves adjacent the opening in the fuselage. This passive approach is usually limited in optimal performance to performing within a limited portion of the flight envelope (i.e., with a predetermined speed range for the aircraft). The mechanical flow spoiler typically requires mechanical linkage and electromechanical and/or hydraulic actuators, all of which can add significant weight, complexity, and life cycle costs to the air vehicle.